Bathroom Fan - no light

[varkpilot]

Problem with bath fan [PANASONIC FV-08VQL4], in particular its light box [FV-LF003]

The light box uses two florescent bulbs…..four pin….18W.  PANASONIC bulbs hard to find & very expensive.  Have used SYLVANIA bulbs (CF1800/E/835) for a long time but now new bulbs are not working.

I put my "sniffer" up to the receptacles in the light box and there's power there.  I'd also check the power with my multi-meter but don't know where to place the two probes.  My limited research reveals that the ballast is in the base of the bulbs.

I installed this unit 8-10 years and it wasn't fun…..especially connecting the unit to the exhaust duct! Being a senior citizen, I have no desire to do this again so I need to find a competent handyman. [Any of you who live in Seacoast NH know of one??  :>) ]

Any ideas other than doing a "remove & replace" ?  BTW, would you be surprised that PANASONIC has ignored my request for help?

[MstrCarpenter]

I don't know where the ballast is But I just checked, and there is are LED replacements available. cost more to purchase but less to operate. As a general rule it's not cost effective to change from fluorescent to LED just to save on your electric bill. If a bad ballast is in the fixture than you should look for a "ballast by-pass" LED. If that isn't an option on your fixture, and you can easily access the 120v power for a light, I'm pretty sure that you can find an LED light that will fit in thee space that the two fluorescent bulbs occupy.

[TDKPE]

Are you sure the new bulbs are good?  I’ve gotten bulbs from the BORG that were DOA, and at least once or twice they were used and switched out with new ones and returned.  

Some two-bulb units also don’t work if just one if dead, so a new but DOA bulb may be preventing the other from starting, too.  

It’s possible, but I don’t know how likely.  I’m from the era of pre-heat bulbs with separate ‘starters’, so the above could have bupkis to do with your problem. 

[KC]

Are you sure the new bulbs are good?  I’ve gotten bulbs from the BORG that were DOA, and at least once or twice they were used and switched out with new ones and returned.  

Some two-bulb units also don’t work if just one if dead, so a new but DOA bulb may be preventing the other from starting, too.  

It’s possible, but I don’t know how likely.  I’m from the era of pre-heat bulbs with separate ‘starters’, so the above could have bupkis to do with your problem. 

Yes... it's very, very irritating to give up more bucks for LED lights and have that happen.  I had one the other day 'half' die.

[Robert Adams]

Yes... it's very, very irritating to give up more bucks for LED lights and have that happen.  I had one the other day 'half' die.

             Yeah everyone touts the lifespan of LEDs. Yeah the LEDS will work for that many hours and more but the powersupply will crap out way before the LEDs ever fail. Most have the ubiquitous red capacitor in them and are capacitive droppers instead of switching powersupplies and very very few are actually constant current supplies.

            And try finding some real 5K color LEDs. If you find ones that actually put out 5K they are very expensive as they are used in the film and photography industry. The ones you find in the store and on amazon are not 5K they are well over 5K. Only buy 5K from a reputable supplier and then borrow a meter to test them on reciept.
      5K color temp is the best color but very expensive to buy true 5K lights.

[Cdshakes]

             Yeah everyone touts the lifespan of LEDs. Yeah the LEDS will work for that many hours and more but the powersupply will crap out way before the LEDs ever fail. Most have the ubiquitous red capacitor in them and are capacitive droppers instead of switching powersupplies and very very few are actually constant current supplies.

            And try finding some real 5K color LEDs. If you find ones that actually put out 5K they are very expensive as they are used in the film and photography industry. The ones you find in the store and on amazon are not 5K they are well over 5K. Only buy 5K from a reputable supplier and then borrow a meter to test them on reciept.
      5K color temp is the best color but very expensive to buy true 5K lights.

not to hi-jack this thread-- but....
When you used to buy outdoor flood/spot lights, you had to look for style (par-38...etc), whether you wanted flood, or spot lighting, and wattage... now we have to deal with color temp as well with the LED variety.  I bought two different color temps by accident, so i had to move things around-- i have one motion light with 3700k, and one with 5000k-- these are HORRIBLE.  They are so blue-ish white... awful.  Don't know how you'd possibly want that color IN your house!  I feel like a baseball stadium announcer should be announcing the next batter when these lights come on.  The other one with 3700k feels like a regular old school spotlight--doesn't hurt your eye to look at, or try to read something under this light.
Of course this is my opinion... everyone's got one... just was way tough on my eyes.

Colin